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$2,000 Bribe Bought Password To DC P.O. System
theodp writes "While the Administration is counting on new Federal CIO Vivek Kundra to simplify and speed the federal IT procurement process, it's doubtful he'll be able to reduce red tape to the extent that a former minion of his did at the scandal-rocked D.C. Office of the CTO. Exhibiting some truly out-of-the-box thinking, project manager Tawanna Sellmon not only processed phony invoices for the contractor at the center of the D.C. bribery and kickback scandal, she also gave him the password to the city's computerized database used to track purchase orders. Sellmon pleaded guilty last week for her role in the scam, which netted her an envelope containing $2,000 in cash, as well as an undisclosed number of $25-$100 gift cards."
Um no? She was a underling that was CAUGHT, she had nothing to do with the guy who is now the CIO. Get your facts straight before you decide to be a right wing moron.
"Slashdot, where telling the truth is overrated but lying is insightful."
actually, she just sold the District of Columbia's tubes for a pittance. my only regret is that she didn't sell the entire city.
THL phish sticks
Reading TFA, it looks as if she didn't sell the password, she gave it away to be helpful, and the contractor only later gave her the $2000 (and gift cards) as a present. I.e. she didn't realise what she was doing, that the password she gave him permitted him, basically, to authorise any bill he chose to submit. So she is primarily guilty of total stupidity rather than criminal intent. Maybe, for the good of the species, such stupidity should be treated as even more criminal - but it isn't.
What this makes clear, yet again, is that the human is the weakest point in any system, and any human who has not received positive training in security is a very weak point indeed. Which says that, whatever the physical security, any government database with thousands of users, let alone hundreds of thousands as planned form some, will be subverted, for certain, within months.
Consciousness is an illusion caused by an excess of self consciousness.
This wasn't a troll. It was a reference to a previous article.
"Man is nothing without the works of man" -- Helvetius
I dunno, I'd be fine with one million. Keep it in a secure location (you can afford a nice fireproof safe with that much) and just use it to augment your current lifestyle. Don't make outlandish purchases. One million in hundreds isn't that large either: http://www.cockeyed.com/inside/million/million.html
That's the rub though: being careful with it. You can't blow it on Rodeo Drive day one. Limit yourself to a grand a month and spread it around. Can probably deposit some in your normal account occassionally. Explaining 1M at once? Problem. Explaining 1M over 20, 30 years? Much easier.
HA! That's nothing.
In Detroit here we had a 1.2 BILLION dollar deal that was approved by city council only after someone got a $5,000 or $10,000 bribe. You might have heard of Monica Conyers or perhaps her husband, John Conyers.
The way it works here is you hire a "consultant" who supposedly puts you in touch with the right people. What actually happens is the consultant pockets half of the consultant fee, and gives the other half to the person you want to influence. And then the vote changes.
A few people are already on their way to jail, but it's nothing compared to the cost to the city and the hundreds of workers who lost their jobs as a result of the deal.
The Constitution defines treason. And this isn't it, much as you'd like it to be.
"I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"
OK, figured it out. He took a five-day leave of absence when the story first broke in March. Old news.
Have you read my blog lately?
Start a business.
Filter the money in as regular customer payment.
Proper accounting you will take about 10% loss, maybe less.
Not a bad fee to pay to be laundered.
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